The Trouble With Lying
by lannah
Summary: Lily Evans has some trouble when coming to lies. James Potter knows this. Fortunately for her though, it works to her advantage. LJ One Shot.


**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to Harry Potter.

**A.N: **So, I guess this is kind of similar to my other L/J one shot. Oh well. I never said I was the most creative one in the bunch.

* * *

The Trouble with Lying

"_Stupid Quidditch games. Stupid Parties. Stupid Boys," a very annoyed Lily Evans huffed as she stomped around the seventh year girls' dormitory picking up belongings haphazardly strewn around the room._

"_I don't understand why you just don't tell him how you feel," one of her good friends Sonya said pulling her feet up onto her bed as Lily grabbed a pile of magazines out from under her. _

"_Tell him how I..? Are you insane?" Lily questioned, throwing a pair of shoes across the room towards their closet only to miss and have them land three feet away from where she intended. _

_This was why she never tried out for Quidditch. Not that she wanted too anyway. It was a dumb sport. Played by stupid boys. Stupid boys who pretended to like a girl one minute and then the next minute...well, it didn't really matter._

"_I don't see what the big deal is with telling him," Sonya replied, watching her friend lose her mind and half a bottle of perfume as it broke when Lily accidentally flung it across the room, in slight amusement. _

"_I can't tell him that finally, after all this time, I've decided to just up and fall for him, okay!" Lily exclaimed. "Besides, if he wants to be all flirty with stupid bimbo girls, then that's his deal. And they're obviously an item…and I'm not some slaggy homewrecker." _

"_It only happened at the party, Lils. You don't know that they're together." _

"_Well, it was pretty obvious…"_

"_I could ask Sirius if you'd like…" Sonya offered. _

"_No. Do not ask Sirius anything," Lily replied. "The last thing I need is Sirius knowing too…."_

_Sonya grinned in amusement. "If you and James do end up together though, let me just say…you are one lucky bitch. He is so incredibly yummy enough to f-"_

"_Stop!" Lily interrupted her hurriedly. "I don't need to hear the rest of that sentence."_

Lily's thoughts about the conversation she had had previously with her friend Sonya flitted through her mind. She did not even know why Sonya had chosen to bring up that particular topic…as if she was not already uncomfortable enough with the whole suddenly-feeling-immense-attraction-towards-James-Potter situation. Now she had to think about how he was 'yummy enough to…'

_Oh God. She was losing her mind. _

Why did she have to suddenly turn into a hormonal teenage girl?

Then again, she doubted anyone would _not_ be a hormonal teenage girl when a guy like James Potter was around; it was too bad the lack of hormones she had towards him back in fifth year, did not last until after graduation.

Although she did remember thinking, in spite of her so-called hatred, he was _quite_ 'yummy' as Sonya so eloquently put it.

Lily groaned but did not have time to think about those issues anymore for she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She got up to answer it only to find the last person she wanted to see at that moment on the opposite side.

James grinned at her. "Evans."

Lily narrowed her eyes. She still had yet to figure out how he learned to get past the barrier on the stairs.

"Potter, what are you doing up here?"

"Looking for you of course," he replied and as an afterthought, added: "…and I'm looking for Sirius. I figured he'd be up here with Sonya."

"Can't you just find him on that stupid map of yours?" she asked grumpily.

"I could," he answered slowly. "That would be the smart thing to do except for the fact that he has it."

Lily rolled her eyes. Maybe if she was mean and blunt enough, he would leave.

"He and Sonya left a while ago," Lily answered.

"Oh."

Silence. Awkward. Beginnings of a racing heart..._damn_.

"Well, bye then," Lily said hurriedly and moved to shut the door.

James stopped her. "So you're just going to leave me standing out here?" he asked.

"Umm…yes."

James grinned and decided to pinch her cheeks in very much the manner someone would a child.

"Aww, I can just feel your love for me," he teased albeit somewhat sarcastically and pushed his way inside the girls' dormitory, leaving Lily to shake her head exasperatedly, desperately attempting to hide the slight smile twitching at her lips.

"So what are you doing up here all by yourself, Red?" James asked, unceremoniously plopping himself down on her bed.

"Relishing in the peace and quiet," she answered pointedly.

James ignored the fact that the comment was directed at him. "On a Friday night?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, on a Friday night," she muttered somewhat bitterly.

He looked at her closely for a minute and then said: "So let's do something. Are you hungry?"

Lily gave him a quizzical look as he smirked and added, "Who am I kidding? It's you. You're always hungry."

Lily made a face at him. "I wouldn't talk."

"Alright, so let's go get something to eat then, yeah," James said getting off the bed.

Lily's heart quickened its pace - triple speed. No way in Merlin's beard could she go "get something to eat" with him.

Just the two of them? Alone?

That would be suicide for her. She could barely handle being in the same room with the guy at that moment. Another couple of hours and she'd probably break down and tell him everything she didn't want him to know.

James must have noticed the panicked look on her face, for he added, "You don't have to look so freaked out you know. Don't worry, it's not a date."

Lily opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, then finally decided on something to say.

"No, it's not that…it's just…" she paused.

It was just what? She didn't even know herself.

She sighed dejectedly. "Sure, let's go."

He grinned. "Alright, you might want to get your cloak though."

Lily looked up at him confused. "Why? Aren't we just going to the kitchens?"

"Nah…let's go to Hogsmeade." His eyes twinkled mischievously.

"What?" Lily gaped. "It's a school night. We're not allowed to go Hogsmeade."

James sighed in mock disappointment. "Lily, Lily, Lily….so much you have to learn. When has a school night ever stopped me? And when has not being allowed to do something ever stopped me?"

Lily paused for a second. He did have a point.

Unfortunately, in their final year of school, in which she was supposed to be the good, responsible Head Girl, he had successfully managed to corrupt her and entice her to break as many school rules as possible in the span of a few months.

Potter was such a bad influence.

Lily shrugged and sighed. "Fine."

What was breaking one more rule going to do?

"You know what, I actually came to give this back to you as well," James said.

Lily glanced over at what he was holding in his hand. "My Transfiguration notes!" she exclaimed.

She had been looking for it everywhere and couldn't think where she had left it. But now that she realized James had it, the only place she could have left it was at the…

Great. She had managed to forget about the night of the Gryffindor party after winning the Quidditch match, for a whole five minutes.

Until now.

She made a move to take her notes back from him except he smirked and held his hand high above his head, very much out of her reach.

"I don't really know why you were studying at a party," he said, moving the notes out of her grasp.

"I was not studying. I left them by the fireplace earlier that morning," Lily answered.

"Sure sure."

"Potter!" she snapped impatiently.

"What?" he asked innocently as Lily started jumping up trying to grab her notes from his hands.

"This is almost too easy," he chuckled as he watched her vain attempts at attempting to retrieve her notes from his hands.

"Oh really?" Lily asked narrowing her eyes at him and without warning, punched him in the stomach.

James doubled over, caught off guard and Lily used that opportunity to grab the pieces of parchment from his hands, smiling gleefully.

"Ouch, Evans. That hurt," he mumbled.

"Good," Lily answered smugly.

"You're violent."

Lily couldn't help but smile.

"Why'd you leave the party in such a rush anyway?" he asked her once he'd started breathing properly again.

The smile abruptly left her face.

"I didn't," she answered, shortly.

"Yeah you did."

"No, I didn't. Besides, how did you notice that anyway? You were busy."

'…_with someone,'_ she added silently to herself.

James looked at her somewhat confused. Well she was not going to spell it out for him.

"Why are you here anyway?" she couldn't help but ask again.

James gave her a funny look. "I told you. Looking for Sirius…and trying to get you to come get food with me."

"…but, it's Friday night," Lily said. "Isn't tonight like your party and/or date night…or something."

"Party and date night? Friday?" James questioned, smiling in amusement. "Funny, I never received that memo."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I just mean that…I figured you'd be out tonight….after all you did look pretty cozy with Miss Barbie doll look-a-like the night of the party, so I figured…I mean it's you…I'm sure you made plans with her or something…do you like that girl?"

She was rambling. She couldn't help it. She babbled – very quickly - when she was nervous.

James was looking at her with that funny look again although there was an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"Barbie doll look-a-like?" he questioned.

"Yeah, you know…Jasmine…" Lily gave an exaggerated flip of her hair to demonstrate her point. "Except with brown hair instead of blonde."

James crossed his arms and leaned against one of the dressers in the room, a very amused, very wicked grin on his face.

"Soo…why do you care if I made plans with her?" he asked.

So he did make plans with her! She knew it!

Lily gritted her teeth but managed to plaster a fake smile on her face. "I don't. I was just wondering, that's all. I guess it would be rather odd if you hadn't made plans with her…I mean she was _all over_ you that night and she has fancied you ever since she saw you and it's not like you really did anything to stop her. And really, why would you anyway? I mean, it is you…"

She was rambling again. She trailed off as she noticed the look on James' face.

"Evans," James asked slowly, the wickedly amused smile still present on his face, "…are you jealous?"

"No!" Lily exclaimed vehemently…and rather squeakily.

"Jealous? Of that bimbo? I can't believe that you would think I was jealous…of her…ugh. Why would _I _be jealous?"

"Well, are you?"

"No!" Lily exclaimed again.

"Then why are you squeaking?"

"Why am I…what? I'm not squeaking! I don't squeak."

"Your voice gets all squeaky when you lie, love."

"It does not!"

She stopped. Hmm…maybe her voice did do that. But it was not because she was lying about being jealous. She was not jealous. Absolutely not.

James gave her a smug smirk.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Lily huffed, flopping down on her bed.

"You are so jealous!" James exclaimed, almost gleefully she thought.

Lily chose not to answer his stupid comments. Let him think whatever he liked. She didn't care…much.

James regarded her closely for a minute that stupid look still on his face then asked her a question which completely threw her off guard.

"Evans," he said slowly, a cute smile spreading across his face, "…do you fancy me?"

Lily's mouth dropped open. How the hell did he know? Was she that obvious?

"Potter, I think you've taken one too many bludgers to the head. You're going delusional. Why would I, of all people, like _you_? Are you insane?"

There went the squeaky voice again.

An even wider grin spread across James' face. "You do! You so fancy me!"

"You don't know what you're talking about. I do not!"

"Yes you do."

"Shut up! No I don't!"

"Yes you do."

Lily let out a frustrated, mini-scream. "Fine! Yes, I was jealous, okay? Yes, I fancy you! A lot! Can we shut up about it now please?"

Oops. She was not supposed to let that slip.

After a few seconds of silence, Lily sighed, noting the somewhat shocked expression on James' face.

"Look…how about we just go eat?" she said.

James remained silent for a moment. He looked like he was about to say something but changed his mind and nodded. "Let's go."

As he followed her out of the dormitories, Lily muttered, "…stop smiling."

"I'm not."

She turned around giving him a disbelieving glare.

James grinned innocently. "Well you can't blame me for smiling, can you?"

"Shut up."

* * *

They were now sitting inside the Three Broomsticks, drinking butterbeer after their meal and stupid Potter was acting like nothing had happened. Granted, she contributed to that a little by telling him to shut up once she admitted to fancying him but he didn't even try to pry another confession out of her. 

All through their meal, he was being his normal, charismatic self. Cracking stupid jokes…making her laugh. She didn't know if she should be relieved that he was not making her talk about it or if she should be concerned about the possibility that he no longer felt the same way about her.

Stupid boy. He just had to go and make her fall for him, didn't he? She was doing such a good job at hiding it too…well, up until now.

She sighed.

James looked up at her. "You okay?" he asked concernedly.

Lily forced a smile and nodded.

"You want to get out of here?"

"Sure."

After a mini-battle over who would pay the bill (James won), they left the noisy, crowded room of the Three Broomsticks and headed outside into the cool, quiet night air.

"So, I guess we should head back then," James said, after a few minutes of silent, aimless wandering in the general direction of Hogwarts.

"You want to go for a walk?" Lily asked, suddenly.

Where that suggestion came from, she had no idea. All she knew was that she hoped he would say yes.

He looked at her closely for a moment, then nodded and thankfully did not make some stupid comment.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he answered: "Sure."

After a few minutes, James broke the silence. "You know I'm surprised you still came here with me," he said shooting a sideways glance at Lily.

"Why wouldn't I?"

What a stupid question.

James smiled. "Because you my dear, are an avoider. You avoid every possible uncomfortable situation you can."

"I do not."

James shot her an I-don't-believe-you look.

"Fine," she muttered, slightly defeated.

They were silent for a few more minutes.

"You know it's okay if you like her," Lily said breaking the silence.

A confused glance came her way.

"Jasmine," Lily clarified, slightly annoyed.

James grinned. "Well, I must thank you for your blessings, Red. I'll be sure to let Jasmine know before the wedding day."

Lily huffed. "I'm just saying. You don't have to feel bad for me or anything…"

"Who said I did?" James answered smirking.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I hate you."

The smirk turned into a sly smile. "That's not what you said an hour ago."

"I told you to shut up!"

James chuckled. "Alright alright."

More silence.

It gave Lily some time to think. She should not be upset that James was teasing her about it. In fact, she wouldn't have been angry had he completely made fun of her and was mean about it. After all, she deserved it given the way she had treated him back when he used to ask her out. Thinking back, she was quite cold and rude to him. Even though he was quite an obnoxious prat when he went about asking her, he didn't deserve to be treated that unkindly.

"I don't like her," James said interrupting her train of thought.

Lily felt hope surge inside of her.

"I actually like someone else," he continued.

There went the hope.

"Well good for you," she muttered.

"Don't you want to know who she is?"

"Not particularly," Lily mumbled.

"Well, she's kind of a pain in the arse sometimes-" James supplied anyway.

"The words every girl loves to hear," Lily interrupted dryly.

"…and she's stubborn and she likes to yell at me a lot…for no reason sometimes, I might add," he continued on as if he had not heard her.

Lily sighed and started to kick pebbles away from her, imagining they were the girl's James claimed he fancied, head.

What was the point of him telling her this?

They had neared the fountain in the middle of the village square and Lily focused her gaze on the cyclic, falling water.

"But," James continued, "…she's really smart, funny, nice when she wants to be and really pretty…gorgeous actually and she's really the only girl I've ever wanted to date…"

She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Why are you telling me this?" Lily asked, leaving James' side and walking over to the gate that surrounded the fountain.

He followed her over.

Was he purposely trying to torture her? Rub it in her face?

"Because, Red…" he said taking her slightly cold hand.

Lily glanced down at their intertwined hands confused.

"I'm talking about you," he finished simply.

Lily blinked.

"Me?" she squeaked.

Oh for the love of Merlin! What was up with her squeaking?

James chuckled. "Yes, you."

"Oh," Lily replied dumbly. "_Oh. _Oh!"

"You know, those 'oh's' could very well be taken out of context," James said, a devilish grin adorning his face.

Lily blushed. "That's not what I…shut up!"

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Then he started tracing his thumbs across her palms as Lily asked: "You're serious?"

James nodded.

"You're not just saying that?

"Nope. Come on Lily, I've fancied you since Fifth year. I would think I made it pretty obvious back then," he replied more serious than she had ever seen him in her seven years of knowing him.

"I know but, you seemed to stop when this year started and you weren't really….I didn't think that you still….I mean…Hey! I am _not_ a pain in the arse-"

James cut her off a cute grin on his face.

"Are you going to stop talking long enough for me to kiss you?"

Lily shut her mouth and smiled.

When his lips pressed blissfully against hers, she forgot everything. The world faded around her except for the sound of the trickling water behind them and she did not stop smiling.

The End

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AN: I don't know if there's a fountain in the middle of Hogsmeade but it just seemed like it did have one at the time of writing this story. 

And just as a side note, I really like writing (and reading) Lily/James fics but I can't seem to get any decent ideas (hence this fic)….anyone have any suggestions?

Oh and thanks for any reviews whether it be comments saying how awesome I am (lol) or constructive criticism or anything else, any feedback is much appreciated.


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